Recaro Como .. Don't buy it!!!

switchex

New member
Ok, after having my recaro COMO for almost 3 months, i must say, i absolutely hate it! I can not stand it and if i could afford it, i would have bought another car seat . .here is why:

1- The straps are too thin and they keep twisting and reverse directions.

2- No matter how hard you pull on the strap (bottom loop) to make it tight, it doesn't!! You have to pull the belts from the top while yanking the loop from the bottom seat to make it tight .. and it still doesn’t feel right.

3 – The loop the you pull to tighten the belts, is very short and you can hardly get your hand it it to pull. And when you loosen the belts (to take the baby out), you need to make sure that u leave some slack otherwise the loop closes all the way and you can never get your finger under it to open it. I have to put my key or a pen under it to pull it back up. Sorry, not very good in explaining things, for those of you who have it, you know what I am talking about.

I just don’t understand why the couldn’t just have a strap to pull like all other car seats!!!

4 - When I put my son the seat, healways end up sitting on top of the bottom cushions, and than i have to lift him up a bit to pull the cushion from under him.

Overall, it is a very difficult seat to use and although it may have a safe design, just the fact that you can never make the belts tight enough, and the fact that the straps twist and turn inside the buckles, makes it the a very unsafe car seat ...



Don't buy it unless you know you at least try and return it. Judge it for yourself.
 
ADS

southpawboston

New member
did you see my review here?

i agree on some points. i don't like the como overall. the signo is far superior, despite being outwardly similar looking. i actually convinced recaro to take my como back and give me a signo instead. much better seat. read the review linked above.

I just don’t understand why the couldn’t just have a strap to pull like all other car seats!!!

um... if you unbutton the end of that loop, it becomes a strap just like every other carseat out there :). this is documented elsewhere in the forum.

4 - When I put my son the seat, healways end up sitting on top of the bottom cushions, and than i have to lift him up a bit to pull the cushion from under him.

how large is your son? that bottom cushion is optional. our 25.5 lb DD2 never ends up pushing the sides of the cushions down, but our 34.5 lb DD1 does squash the sides... and i agree that is annoying. we will remove it soon.

1- The straps are too thin and they keep twisting and reverse directions.

i'll agree with you on that one.

2- No matter how hard you pull on the strap (bottom loop) to make it tight, it doesn't!! You have to pull the belts from the top while yanking the loop from the bottom seat to make it tight .. and it still doesn’t feel right.

i did notice that to tighten it adequately, you do have to pull on the straps at the shoulder, then tighten some more. but i prefer this over the tug-tug-tug-tug-tug-tug-tug-tug-tug-tug method of the britaxes. also, if you unbutton the strap loop to make the tightener a long strap, it makes tightening so much easier :).
 

azgirl71

CPST Instructor
I am sorry about that you do not like your Como. I know may people do like them, but I guess they are not for everyone :(
 

Yoshi

New member
Well, I also agree with some of your complaints- but if I were going to say one big negative about the seat it is that it is too narrow at the shoulders for older children. And I highly doubt many kids will fit past age 4.
 

thepote

New member
We use our como FF with 4 year old DS2 and we love it. It is perfect for our situation (outboard, and with a kiddo that sleeps in the car a lot -- he was very slumpy in the Regent). We don't use any of the cushion inserts.

I've never had a problem tightening the straps -- maybe yours are caught on something?

I agree the straps seem thinner, but it has become second nature to flatten them when he gets buckled in.

Like all seats, this one has pros and cons for use in each situation. From all the CRs I've tried in our particular situation, this one is definitely the best for us.
 

twinsplusthree

New member
:love:I actually have a Como and LOVE it. FFing, that is. I used it for my nearly-4 YO son and he loves it. I found it very easy to use and he was very comfortable it in . He is about 40 lbs and 42 inches tall and there is plenty of room for him to grow in it.

Now I use it for my 15 month old son RFing and it is a little difficult to get him in, but we still find it easy to use and feel safe with it. I don't use any of the extra padding. He's 26 lbs and they are just unnecessary.

THe straps are very twisty, but I really don't mind untwisting them. I find them easier to manipulate than the thicker straps on some other seats. When the thicker straps get twisted, they are harder to untwist.

When we switched my son out of it he complained and still begs for it back! Sorry you don't like it. Not for everyone, but we do really like it.
 

Mama!

New member
Just so everyone knows, Recaro says the head cushions are mandatory for RF use. THey're optional but recommended for FF use.

We had 2 Comos. I now have a Signo and LOVE it.

I agree with SPB's assessment. There are things about it that are annoying, but I personally didn't have a ton of trouble with the straps twisting. I always fix them every trip, so they didn't have time to get bad.

I also reach behind the RF seat and yank down on the splitter plate with my right hand as I pull the harness adjuster strap with my left. No problems there.
 

tl01

New member
The only issue you mention that we seem to have as well is the twisty straps which Recaro has acknowledged and is working toward a solution. The straps they chose are actually a pricier strap than the less silky strap and they felt they were an upgrade. We have no problem at all with tightening our straps and in fact, our Como has a far superior adjuster compared to our other two seats. Sorry you do not like the seat more.
 

arly1983

New member
I thought it sucked (IMHO) to be blunt but the person I sold it to :)love: ) thinks it is great.

What is unbearable to one person is a minor nuisance to another.

This thread is just another example on why you need to try seats out in person first or pay a little extra and order from a company with an excellant return policy (hint:elitecarseats.com)

Sorry, Mama:(
 

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